Bread slicer



Dec. 27, 1938. R. J. BEUTEL 2,141,947

BREAD SLICER Original Filed Nov. 9; 1934 2 Sheets- Sheet l INVENTATTORNEY Dec. 27, 1938. R. J. BEUTEL 2,141,947

BREAD SLICER Original Filed Nov. 9, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVE BY C07TTORNEY Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BREAD SLICERApplication November 9, 1934, Serial No. 752,344 Renewed May 28, 1938 18Claims.

The invention relates an improved bread slicer, and more particularly tonovel means for feeding the loaves of bread through the slicing machine,its main object being to propel the loaves at a relatively high speed tothe slicing unit thereof and then retard the speed while the loaf isbeing sliced in order to obtain a greaterproportion of useful slicingtime out of the cycle of operation. a This object in the presentinvention is accomplished by means of a double pawl and ratchetmechanism, the pawls being controlled from a double cam. One pawlthrough the action of its cam drives the ratchet and conveyor rapidly,

s while the second pawl is actuated from the other cam to drive theratchet and conveyor at a slower speed. By advancing the loaves throughthe slicer at a slow speed a clean cut and even thickness of slice isassured.

With this and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, theinvention consists in certain constructions and combinations hereinafterfully described and then specifically set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification andin which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the improved bread licer equipped with thenovel loaf feed;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the pawl and ratchet drivingmechanism; and

Fig. 3 is a side view of the same.

in carrying the invention into effect there is provided a chute adaptedto receive a single file 35 of loaves of bread, a slicer unit, and meansfor separating loaves from said file and advancing them to the slicerunit at a relatively high speed wild advancing them through the slicerunit at a elatively low speed. In the best constructions tmtemplatedsaid means includes conveyor mains, driven and idler sprockets overwhich the chains are trained, cam-actuated fingers adapted to arrest theleading loaf in the file and release it to permit it to slide down thechute it into the path of the flights, and mechanism for driving thedriven sprockets at a relatively high speed and then at a relatively lowspeed. In the best constructions the mechanism for driving the drivensprockets at alternately high and low 50 speed includes a shaft to whichthe sprockets are fast, a ratchet fast to the shaft, arms looselymounted on the shaft, spring-pawls mounted on the arms to engage theteeth of the ratchet, means for vibrating the arms to cause said pawlssuccessively to engage the teeth of the ratchet and drive the shaft atalternately different speed, and adjusting means for varying theamplitude of the vibratory motion of the arms.

These various means and parts may be widely varied in constructionwithin the scope of the claims, for the particular machine selected toillustrate the invention is but one of many possible concreteembodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to berestricted to the specific construction shown and described.

Referring to the drawings, the loaves L are placed on infeed chute H)which is supported by the side frames II and brackets l2 attached to theframes I I. The chute I has adjustable side guides I3 which are attachedto rods l4 slidable in the brackets l5 and held in position by setscrews iii.

The leading loaf L of the file of loaves in chute i0 stops against thefingers l'l fast on cross shaft I8 supported in bearings of the brackets12. The fingers [1 are actuated from a cam plate l9 mounted on shaft 20,said cam being engaged by a cam roller 21 carried by a cam lever 22fulcrumed on a stud 23 set in bracket 24, the other end of lever 22being connected to one of the fingers I! by rod 25. Each revolution of'cam l9 brings its raised portion 26 into engagement with roller 2!,thereby raising the same and causing the rod 25 and fingers II todescend and thus free the loaf. The fingers I! remain down until theraised portion 26 of cam l9 has passed the roller 2i, whereupon atorsion spring 21 on shaft l8 raises the fingers I'l into position toarrest the following loaf.

The loaf thus freed slides along chute l0 into the path of one of theflights 28 carried by the double conveyor chains 29 and traveling inlongitudinal slots on the bottom of the chute ill. The chains 29 runover driven sprockets 30 and over idler sprockets 31, the former beingat--= tached at the ends of shaft 32 and the latter loosely mounted onshaft 33 and said shafts being supported by side frames ll. The conveyor29 is driven at a predetermined speed by means of the double cam 34having in one of its faces a cam groove receiving a cam roller 35 of anarmy 36 integral with the slotted arm 31. A link 38 is connected to thearm 31 by a pin set in a block fastened in the slot of arm 31, andpivotally connected to arm 39 of the gear segment 40, the block beingadjustable in the slot of the arm 31 to regulate the amplitude of theoscillating motion imparted to gear segment 40. The sege 7 gear sector4| loosely with ment 40 meshes 'with a mounted on shaft 32 (Fig. 2) andprovided an integral arm 42 whichcarries a stud 43 on which is pivoted apawl 44 engaging with a tooth 45 of ratchet 46 keyed on shaft 32. Duringthe forward motion of the pawl 44 the loaf is advanced rapidly adistance corresponding to the space between the loaves on conveyor 29until the loaf engages the knives of the slicer, the amplitude of theoscillation of segment 40 being regulated to produce the required extentof motion for loaves of varying size. The tooth 45 is thus advancedunder the second. pawl 41 (Fig. 2) which engages the tooth and drivesthe ratchet and conveyor at a slower speed while the loaf is beingadvanced through the slicer unit.

The mechanism for actuating pawl 41 will now be described: In the otherface of the cam 34 there is provided a cam groove receiving the camroller 48 of an arm 49 which is integral with the slotted arm 50. A link5|, connected to arm 50 by means of a pin set in a block adjustable inthe slot of the arm 50, is pivotally connected to an arm 52 of gearsegment 53. By regulating the position of the block in the slot of arm50 the amplitude of the vibratory motion of seg-- ment 53 may be variedto compensate for different sizes of loaves in order to advance theloaves clear of the knives of the slicer. meshes with a sector 54provided with an arm 5 carrying a stud 56 pivotally supporting the pawl41. Pawls 44 and 41 are equipped with springs 51, which hold the pawlsin engagement with the tooth of the ratchet.

Upon the completion of its forward stroke the pawl 44 is returned to itsinitial position by means of the mechanism actuated by cam 34. Pawl 41in driving the ratchet advances the second tooth 45a thereof intoposition to be engaged and driven by pawl 44 at the end of the forwardstroke of the pawl 41, the pawl 41 then retreating and awaiting thearrival of tooth 45.

While propelling the loaves the flights 28 of conveyor 29 are held in anupright position by means of rollers 58 carried by the flights 28 andriding on the top of a cam rail 59 supported on shafts 32 and 33. Whenthe rollers 58 reach the end of rail 59 they follow the track 60 whichallows the flights gradually to descend from the loaf, and the loaf isthus halted in the slicer unit 6| awaiting the arrival of the next load,whereby it will be pushed through the slicing unit at a relatively lowspeed while the pawl 41 is driving the ratchet 46. The loaves onentering the slicer unit pass beneath a top tension guide 620:.

The slicer unit BI is of the conventional type, and is mounted on tiebars 62 connecting the side frames ll of the machine. The slicer unit isdriven by means of 'a motor 63 driving a chain 64 running over asprocket 65 and a sprocket 66 attached to the crank shaft 67 of theslicer. The slicing knives are disposed in slots in the bottom of thechute l0 and supported on knife frames connected to the crank shaft 61.Further description of the mountingof the knife frames and theirconnections to the crank shaft is deemed unnecessary since the same isconventional.

The loaf after having been sliced enters between side guides 68 whichare attached to rods 69 slidable in the lugs 10 of brackets H connectedby a table, and locked in position by set screws 12 to hold the slicesof the loaf together. Upon leaving chute H] the sliced loaves drop ontothe table supported by the brackets l l, the loaves being advanced onthe table by a conveyor I3 having pushers 14 which travel through slotsSegment 53' in the table and deliver the loaves to the runway 15 of awrapping machine. Upon entering the runway 15 the loaves enter betweenflights 1B of an endless conveyor (not shown) which clamp the loaf byits ends and propel the same to the wrapper applying station of thewrapping machine.

The conveyor 13 is driven from the cam shaft 20 by means of a sprocketll driving a chain T8 running over a sprocket 19 mounted on a shaft 85supported in brackets 8| attached to the frames H. The shaft carries apair of sprockets 82 driving conveyor chains 13 over idler sprockets 83.On the shaft 80 are pivoted the brackets ll one of which is equippedwith a. stud and lock nut 84 engaging in the elongated slot 85 ofbracketBl. With this arrangement, the brackets H can be raised orlowered to the level of the runway of the wrapping machine and whenproperly located, locked in position by nut 84. The cam shaft 20 isprovided with a sprocket 8B which is driven by means of a chain 81 fromthe main drive of the wrapping machine.

The adjustment of the block by which link 38 is secured to arm 31 toregulate the amplitude of the loaf forwarding stroke of the chain flight28 is important because it permits the slicing of narrow loaves tooccupy the same proportion of the machine cycle that the slicing of thewide loaves does. The value of this lies in the fact .that most of theproduction in bakeries is on relatively narrow loaves and it is on theseloaves which are commonly sliced while soft and hot, that a slow advanceresulting in the highest quality of slicing is desired. Therefore it isimportant that the maximum part of the machine cycle available forslicing be utilized in slicing the narrow loaves, just as it is inslicing the broad loaves and for this purpose in the present device, theadjustment referred to is employed This result is obtained by increasingthe loaf advancing movement per unit of time for broad loaves such asthe so called jumbo or double loaves and by decreasing the loafadvancing movement per unit of time through the slicer for narrowloaves. Thus the present machine slices narrow loaves with maximumefilciency and yet can be conveniently adjusted to handle wide loaves,eliminating the necessity of a second machine for this purpose.

What is claimed is:

1. In a bread slicer, the combination with a chute adapted to receive asingle file of loaves of bread, of a slicer unit, and cam-actuated meansfor separating loaves from said file and advancing them to said slicerunit at a relatively high speed and advancing them through the slicerunit at a relatively low speed, the bottom of said chute being providedwith longitudinal slots, and said means including conveyor chainsprovided with flights arranged to travel through said slots, driven andidler sprockets over which said chains are trained, escapement meansadapted to arrest the leading loaf in said file and then release thesame to permit it to slide down said chute into the path'of saidflights, and mechanism for driving said driven sprockets at a relativelyhigh speed and then at a relatively low speed.

2. In a bread slicer, the combination with a chute adapted to receive asingle file of loaves of bread, of a slicer unit, and means forseparating loaves from said file and advancing them to said slicerunitat a relatively high speed and advancing them through the slicer unit ata rela tively low speed, the bottom of said chute being provided withlongitudinal slots, and said means including conveyor chains providedwith flights means for varying the amplitude of the high I speed and lowspeed motions of said driven sprockets in order to bring loaves ofdifferent sizes into engagement with the slicer unit at high speed andadvance them clear of the slicer unit at low speed.

3. The combination with a chute adapted to receive a single file ofloaves of bread, of camactuated means for separating loaves from saidfile and advancing them at a relatively high speed and then at arelatively low speed, the bottom of said chute being provided withlongitudinal slots, and said means including conveyor chains providedwith flights arranged to travel through said slots, driven and idlersprockets over which said chains are trained, escapement means adaptedto arrest the leading loaf in said file and then release the same topermit it to slide down said chute into the path of said-flights, andmechanism for driving said driven sprockets at a relatively high speedand then at a relatively low speed.

4. The combination with a chute adapted to receive a single file ofloaves of bread, of means for separating loaves from said file andadvancing them at a relatively high speed and then at a relatively lowspeed, the bottom of said chute being provided with longitudinal slots,and said means including conveyor chains provided with flights arrangedto travel through said slots, driven and idler sprockets over which saidchains are trained, escapement means adapted to arrest the leading loafin said file and then releasethe same to permit it to slide down saidchute into the path of said flights, mechanism for driving said drivensprockets at a relatively high speed andthen at a relatively low speed,and adjusting means for varying the amplitude of the high speed and lowspeed motions of the driven sprockets.

5. The combination with a slicer unit, of means for advancing loaves tosaid slicer unit at a relatively high speed and advancing them throughthe slicer unit at a relatively low speed,

said means including conveyor chains provided with flights adapted topushthe loaves, driven and idler sprockets over which said chain's aretrained, mechanism for driving the driven sprockets at a relatively highspeed and then at relatively low speed, and adjusting means for varyingthe amplitude of the high speed and low speed motions of the drivensprockets in order to bring loaves of different sizes into engagementwith the slicer unit at high speed and advance them clear of the slicerunit at low speed.

6. Cam-actuated means for advancing loaves at a relatively high speedand then at a relatively low speed, comprising conveyor chains providedwith flights adapted to push the loaves, driven and idler sprockets overwhich said chains are trained, and mechanism for driving the drivensprockets at a constant relatively high speed and then at a constantrelatively low speed.

'7. Means for advancing loaves at a relatively high speed and then at arelatively low speed, comprising conveyor chains provided with flightsadapted to push the 'loaves, driven and idler sprockets over which saidchains are trained, and mechanism for driving the driven sprockets at arelatively high speed and then at a relatively low speed, said mechanismincluding a shaft to which said driven sprockets are fast, a ratchetfast to said shaft, arms loosely mounted on said shaft, spring-pawlsmounted on said arms to engage the teeth of said ratchet, and means forvibrating said arms to cause said pawls successively to engage the teethof said ratchet and drive said shaft at alternately different speeds.

8. Means for advancing loaves at a relatively high speed and then at arelatively low speed, comprising conveyor chains provided with flightsadapted to push the loaves, driven and idler sprockets over which saidchains are trained, and mechanism for driving the driven sprockets at arelatively high speed and then at a relatively low speed, said mechanismincluding a shaft to which said driven sprockets are fast, a ratchetfast to said shaft, arms loosely mounted on said shaft, spring-pawlsmounted on said arms to engage the teeth of said ratchet, means forvibrating said arms to cause said pawls successively to engage the teethof said ratchet and drive said shaft at alternately different speeds,and adjusting means for varying the amplitude of the vibratory motion ofsaid arms.

9. The combination with a shaft, of a ratchet fast on said shaft, a pairof arms loose on said shaft, spring-pawls mounted on said arms to engagethe teeth of said ratchet, and means for vibrating said arms to causesaid pawls successively to engage the teeth of said ratchet and drivesaid shaft at alternately different speeds.

10. The combination with a shaft, of a ratchet fast on said shaft, apair of arms loose on said shaft, spring-pawls mounted on said arms toengage the teeth of said ratchet, means for vibrating said arms to causesaid pawls successively to engage the teeth ofsaid ratchet and drivesaid shaft at alternately different speeds, and adjusting means forvarying the amplitude of the vibratory motion of said arms.

11. The combination with a slicer unit having a plurality of spacedknives, of a stationary platform adjacent the knives, mechanism forfeeding loaves in spaced relation along a runway and depositing a loafin front of and adjacent said knives on said platform, said mechanismincluding a loaf forwarding member, means for moving said member at arelatively high speed toward said knives vfor a distance approximatelyequal to the spaces between said loaves to advance a succeeding loafinto abutting relation with a loaf in-front of said knives, and meanssynchronized and interrelated and interconnected with said mechanism andsaid first mentioned means for then moving said member at a relativelylow speed toward said knives for a distance approximately equal to thewidth of a loaf to cause one abutting loaf to push the other throughsaid knives.

12. The combination with a slicing unit having a plurality of spacedknives, of mechanism for feeding loaves in spaced relation along arunway and depositing a loaf in front of and adjacent said knives, saidmechanism including a loaf forwarding member, means for moving saidmember at a relatively high speed toward said knives for adistanceapproximately equal to the space between said loaves to advance asucceeding loaf into abutting relation with said first mentioned loaf,means for moving said memher at a relatively low speed toward saidknives for a distance approximately equal to the width of a loaf tocause one abutting loaf to push the other through said knives, andmechanism for adjusting said means to vary the amount of rapid and slowmovement to be imparted to said feeding mechanism in accordance with thewidth of the loaves to be sliced.

13. In a slicing machine, a slicer unit having a plurality of spacedknives,mechanism for advancing a series of loaves along a runway to saidknives, comprising a conveyor having spaced loaf forwarding flights,driving connections for imparting a relatively high speed to the flightsduring a part of each cycle of the machine for feeding'loaves in frontof and adjacent said knives, and for moving said flights at a relativelylow speed for the remainder of the cycle to advance said loaves throughsaid knives, and means for adjusting said connections for varying thedistance traveled by said flights at said high and low speed inaccordance with the width of the loaves of the series to be sliced.

14. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a slicer, and meansto receive and to feed towards said slicer a row of loaves in constantlyupright, contacting, side by side relation, of mechanism for positivelypushing through said slicer in a continuous series a plurality of loavesfrom said row in side by side contacting relation, means to advance eachcompletely sliced loaf from said slicer, said first-named feeding means,

operating to advance each loaf intermittently from said row forrecurrently replenishing the quantum of loaves being so pushed in saidseries through said slicer, and means for controlling the movement ofsaid pushing mechanism so constructed and arranged that the timeinterval during which the loaf is being sliced remains substantiallyconstant regardless of the width of loaves pushed through said slicer.

15. The combination with a slicing unit having a plurality of spacedknives, of mechanism for feeding a row of loaves along a runway and forseparating the loaves seriatim from said row and depositing each loaf soseparated in front of and adjacent to said knives, said mechanismincluding, a loaf forwarding member, means for moving said member toadvance each succeeding separated loaf against each immediatelypreceding separated loaf to push the latter through said knives, anddevices for adjusting said means to vary the amount of movement to beimparted to said feeding mechanism in accordance with the with of theloaves to be sliced.

16. The combination with a slicer, of a delivery conveyor adjacent thedelivery end of said slicer provided with flights spaced to receive thesliced loaves therebetween, and mechanism for periodically pushingsuccessive loaves through saidslicer whereby each loaf will be pushedthrough said slicer and sliced, said mechanism being adjustable to varythe extent the loaves are moved in each cycle, and including means todrive said pushers at diiferent speeds, increasing with the width of theloaves, whereby the period required for slicing each loaf occupies aconstant interval of time irrespective oi the width of the loaves, andmeans for synchronizing the movement of said pushers with that of saiddelivery conveyor to deliver the sliced loaves in the proper relation tosaid flights.

' 17. The combination with a slicer, of mechanism for periodicallypushing successive loaves through said slicer whereby each loaf will besliced, said mechanism being adjustable to vary the extent the loavesare advanced in each cycle, and including means to drive said pushers atdifierent speeds, corresponding to the various widths of the loaves,whereby the period required for slicing one loaf occupies a constantinterval of time.

18. In a bread slicing machine, the combination with a slicer; means toreceive and to feed towards said slicer, a row of loaves in constantlyupright, contacting, side by side relation; mechanism for pushingpositively through said slicer, in continuous series at all times, aplurality of loaves from said row in contacting, upright, side by siderelation; means to advance from said slicer each completely sliced loaf;said flrstnamed feeding means operating to advance intermittently fromsaid row each leading loaf thereof, thereby replenishing recurrently thequantum of loaves being so pushed in continuous series through saidslicer, said means for advancing each completely sliced loaf including,a delivery conveyor provided with spaced flights adapted to receivesliced loaves sidewise therebetween from said slicer and transport themsidewise to a wrapping machine, said mechanism for intermittentlyadvancing upright loaves sidewise through said slicer acting to deliverthem sidewise between the flights of said conveyor, and means fordriving said delivery conveyor in coordinated relation with saidintermittent feed of the pushers.

ROBERT J. BEUTEL.

